Celso Amorim, Brazilian President Lula da Silva’s Special Advisor for International Affairs, addressed Russia’s inaugural International Security Forum in Moscow on Thursday, May 28, with a ringing defense of a multipolar world order governed by international law, in which the sovereignty of all countries is respected and economic development promoted. He stressed that, “In 1967, [Pope] Paul VI coined the celebrated phrase: ‘Development is the new name for peace.’ But in the turbulent times we are living in, we could also say that ‘peace is the new name for development.’ There can be no development when one fears for one’s own life.” After condemning the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran, he said the wars, the breakdown in international law, and escalating threats have unleashed inflation, logistical disruptions, and an increase in the cost of fuel and fertilizer, principally affecting poorer countries. His speech was reported by news agencies Brasil 247 and Sputnik Brasil.
“The intensification of hostilities in the Middle East has already unleashed a regional escalation with serious humanitarian and economic impact. We must not forget the children of Gaza and the aspirations of the Palestinian people to their own state, to security, and to dignity. The deaths of innocents in southern Lebanon must also be deplored.”
In his summary of the security situation in Latin America, Amorim condemned U.S. “maximum pressure,” citing the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Maduro in January as an example of illegitimate use of force. He made a strong defense of Lula’s policy to combat Brazil’s organized crime networks, but explicitly did not label them as terrorists. “The Brazilian government … is acting in a decisive way to dismantle the criminal networks, in cooperation with [other] countries in South America. Organized crime must be fought with maximum energy and determination. But comparing it to terrorism doesn’t help. Both must be fought, but understanding the motivations is essential for efficiency in the fight against all types of crimes.”